Originally posted by Il Grande Inquisitor
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1936/7 eh? I'm tremendously impressed that antongould's memory goes back that far!
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Originally posted by LeMartinPecheur View Post1936/7 eh? I'm tremendously impressed that antongould's memory goes back that far!
Yes that far almost to Bodyline.........Comment
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We are in a different league to this Aussie team . I suggest James Taylor should be given another chance at Old Trafford and I hope they pick Panesar as well as Swann as Old Trafford often turns a lot and this dry summer should have underlined that ( and Monty had a very good record there )- mind you with the thunderstorms we are now promised ....Comment
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I agree about Taylor, but I think I'd rather see Kerrigan in as a second spinner than Panesar who has not had a great season. Kerrigan has been getting lots of wickets and Old Trafford is his home ground. And I'd like to see him come in for Broad who has been below par as a bowler for some time now. I doubt the selectors would do it though - they probably think Root is good enough as a second spinner.
The Aussies are in a shambles now. Agar looks like a bad selection (I don't know why Lyon was dropped) and they badly miss the class that Ponting and Hussey would have given them. It's strange that their cupboard is so bare now when during their all-conquering years they had a whole 2nd XI of Test-class players who just couldn't get in the side.Comment
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Strange it most certainly is but ... I'm still thrilled that it's happenedOriginally posted by aeolium View Post
I felt that Clarke let himself and the team down by being unable to mount a tremendous stonewalling effort. Perhaps rumours of a divided dressing room are true.
Seriously tho, I wish Australia was able to give England more of a match but I guess that Lehmann et al will be making plans for the return series this Winter.Comment
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No repeat of the roller coaster Test at Trent Bridge. England successfully assessed and neutralised Agar in the interim.
There is still a propensity to let Australia off the hook at crucial points in the game (close of play on Friday when England were struggling following the loss of three wickets). Root got out to an unforgivable 'one-day' shot, spoiling his chances of a double century. He needs to do his homework with Dr. Gooch before Old Trafford. Nice couple of wickets from Root though, getting as much spin as Swann. Bresnan bowled well on Sunday morning and has secured his place in the next match. England's selectors value stability above all else. I'd still like to see Onions have a go. As for Australia, well they are in a pickle. I do not know whether drafting in Ahmed will help then to any significant degree.
Remarkably it is only the third time England has beaten Australia at Lord's, although in consecutive Ashes series.
So an emphatic victory for England, followed by a radiant performance of Cappricio at the ROH to be broadcast on R3 in the future. A good day!Comment
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As a Lanky member I hope Kegsy gets the nod. However in re. the Aussie batting famine I'm also hoping they leave Simon Katich with us.Originally posted by aeolium View PostComment
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Q. How do you know the Royal Baby is not Australian? A. It would have been out by now.Comment
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This thread's apparent confusion between the Ashes and the royal sprog causes me to reminisce...Originally posted by Sir Velo View Post
Approx 12 yrs ago my wife began labour for our 2nd daughter and was admitted to Salisbury hospital for things to take their course.
She very kindly restrained herself from needing admission to the delivery suite till I'd finished watching on her bedside TV to ensure that England managed to beat Australia in a tense finish to an Ashes test. This was 20-21/8/2001.
My notes in young Iz's baby book, started the following day, say that it was Headingley, 4th test, "where surprisingly England won by 6 wickets after being set 315 to win after making only 309 in their first innings against Australia's 447. The pitch had ever-greater uneven bounce, so it looked highly doubtful if we would get anywhere near the total. But Butcher made 173 n.o., Hussain (capt) 55 and Ramprakash 32 after a slightly shaky start at 33/2 (Atherton 8, Trescothick 10). Perhaps the strangest thing was that after taking 7/76 in the first innings, McGrath only got 1 for 61."
Put that with a magical dawn-on-a-perfect-summer's-day (21/8) drive home after arrival of new sprog, memories don't get much better than this
We did just wonder whether the new royal baby's father has been having similar conflicts of interest over the last few days, and has been granted equal grace by spouse
I keep hitting the Escape key, but I'm still here!Comment
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Lovely story....thanks for sharing....Originally posted by LeMartinPecheur View PostThis thread's apparent confusion between the Ashes and the royal sprog causes me to reminisce...
Approx 12 yrs ago my wife began labour for our 2nd daughter and was admitted to Salisbury hospital for things to take their course.
She very kindly restrained herself from needing admission to the delivery suite till I'd finished watching on her bedside TV to ensure that England managed to beat Australia in a tense finish to an Ashes test. This was 20-21/8/2001.
My notes in young Iz's baby book, started the following day, say that it was Headingley, 4th test, "where surprisingly England won by 6 wickets after being set 315 to win after making only 309 in their first innings against Australia's 447. The pitch had ever-greater uneven bounce, so it looked highly doubtful if we would get anywhere near the total. But Butcher made 173 n.o., Hussain (capt) 55 and Ramprakash 32 after a slightly shaky start at 33/2 (Atherton 8, Trescothick 10). Perhaps the strangest thing was that after taking 7/76 in the first innings, McGrath only got 1 for 61."
Put that with a magical dawn-on-a-perfect-summer's-day (21/8) drive home after arrival of new sprog, memories don't get much better than this
We did just wonder whether the new royal baby's father has been having similar conflicts of interest over the last few days, and has been granted equal grace by spouseComment
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anton: glad you enjoyed it.Originally posted by antongould View PostI keep hitting the Escape key, but I'm still here!Comment
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Here are some recollections* by one of my favourite England players, perhaps one of the last - with Gower and Botham and Randall's idol Sobers - to play with a kind of amateur spirit (I don't mean amateur in the horrible old amateur/professional class divide but in the sense of playing cricket primarily as a game and not as a job). I was always mad at Gatting for keeping Randall out of the Test team; it seemed to me almost a punishment by the selectors for Randall not playing seriously enough. It was such an entertainment to watch him batting or fielding, unable to keep still for a second as if some electric current was passing through him all the time. He never bore any rancour for the way he was treated by the management - he was just delighted to have the chance to play cricket, any cricket as his recollections show. And he was quite right about Sobers, by far the best cricketer I ever watched.
* and he uses the expression "I was sat..." which has been discussed on another thread
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Fascinating memories of a sadly nearly forgotten cricketer who played with the true corinthian spirit. However, to be pedantic for a minute, when we talk about "amateur" spirit as in playing for pure enjoyment we are, by definition, referring to that epoch of gentlemen vs players. Still, take your point however.Originally posted by aeolium View PostHere are some recollections* by one of my favourite England players, perhaps one of the last - with Gower and Botham and Randall's idol Sobers - to play with a kind of amateur spirit (I don't mean amateur in the horrible old amateur/professional class divide but in the sense of playing cricket primarily as a game and not as a job). I was always mad at Gatting for keeping Randall out of the Test team; it seemed to me almost a punishment by the selectors for Randall not playing seriously enough. It was such an entertainment to watch him batting or fielding, unable to keep still for a second as if some electric current was passing through him all the time. He never bore any rancour for the way he was treated by the management - he was just delighted to have the chance to play cricket, any cricket as his recollections show. And he was quite right about Sobers, by far the best cricketer I ever watched.
* and he uses the expression "I was sat..." which has been discussed on another thread
Re Randall's test career: he did get somewhere in the order of 50 caps with an average of 33 or so, IIRC. This probably bears out the selectors' decision to call time on his England career. Sir Geoffrey, in his diary of the Australian tour of 1979-80 remarks that Randall relied too heavily on his eye. According to Boycott, he had "no technique", and, therefore, when he lost confidence, his ability to score any runs against quality bowling, virtually dried up. It ought also to be remembered that his test match career carried on well into the mid 80s when he was already 33, so hardly a premature end to his career.
If all this sounds like grudging praise, I have the fondest memories of Randall, particularly as a fielder. One image is indelible: of him, in one bound, swooping like an eagle from mid wicket to run out a helplessly stranded Rick McCosker in the 77 Ashes test at Headingley. The look of sheer bewilderment on McCosker's face, as he was forced to trudge off, told its own story.Comment
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